Greetings to all my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! I’m Nicolas Badolato from the USA. First and foremost, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about free online Bible courses, Click Here). CLI gives me the opportunity to receive Chaplain ministry training and ordination. It also allows me to be a part of this amazing ministry fellowship. I’m eternally thankful to The Holy Spirit for leading me here at the very moment when I needed to be. It’s all about divine timing, and God is the best architect and clockmaker.
My Story
I’m 51 years old and have never been married nor do I have any children. I come from an Italian lineage with a Roman Catholic upbringing. Further, I have a strong and supportive family unit. My family consists of my mother and father, happily married 57 years, as well as three brothers, two of which are also happily married. I fall right in the middle of the flock, so growing up, I was definitely a poster boy for the middle-child syndrome. In retrospect, I was very blessed in having my brothers. We were and still are always there for each other.
Throughout my 30’s and 40’s, I always considered myself a spiritual person. But, I was definitely a nominal Christian. I rarely, if ever, attended church or read the Bible. Also, I never agreed with all the dogma and creeds that came with it. Well, my nominal view of Christianity came to a screeching halt the moment I was saved by Christ and the grace of God.
Although I stated that I was always very spiritually-minded, I spent many years drifting at sea as it related to my true walk with The Lord. I battled with what I rationalized as “completely functional” substance abuse for many years. Thank God, I never had any run-ins with the law, but my “criminal record” was certainly spiritually-based. It wasn’t until I was saved that I had this major epiphany.
Broken, Surrendered, and Rebuilt
God only gives us so many warnings concerning situations that take us down the wrong roads before He finally says, “Ok, I’m letting go for now. You’ve forced me to show you the painful way, unfortunately. But don’t fret because I’ll absolutely be there when you need Me. Just call out and I’ll be there.” Well, that moment came for me. My repeated failures to heed His warnings about the paths I was on with complacency and ignorance led to very quick and major blows in my life. In a matter of about three weeks, I lost my job, my unemployment benefits, my girlfriend, and my apartment. Needless to say, I was crushed and trampled underfoot on multiple fronts: spiritually, financially, emotionally, and relationally.
I know now that God needed to break me in order to build me back up. Just like King David, I cried out to The Lord and asked Him to save me. The moment I cried out to Him was the exact moment He began rebuilding me in all the areas He wanted me to grow. God worked through my family members, most notably my parents, to get me back on my feet again. I have since found new employment in a completely different industry. It’s a role that’s also completely remote work. The irony of it all is that I asked God for a new start with a new vocation prior to this opportunity. He does listen and work all things for good according to His will.
Chaplain Ministry Training and Ordination
Since Jesus saved me, I have a continuously strong inner pull from the Holy Spirit to serve others in ministry. I was always a generous, forgiving, and compassionate person. I now had this “knowing” that God wanted me to pay it forward. He uses our past failures and successes to help others. That was another huge revelation for me after Jesus saved me. It’s so bizarre on a human level how the Holy Spirit makes you aware of so much about yourself once you surrender to His will.
I was re-baptized and recently received my licensed ministry ordination from another association that also offered courses for growth. However, I chose to redirect and devote my entire Chaplain ministry training and ordination exclusively to Christian Leaders Institute. My goal is to acquire Commendation, Licensing, and Ordination as a Chaplain Minister. I have always had an affinity toward people who are suffering in any capacity – spiritually, emotionally, relationally, physically, or psychologically. I have experience in all of those areas, which is why I strongly feel that the Spirit is calling me down this path.
Ministry Dream
Specifically, I aspire to minister to those who are in crisis, hospice care, nursing homes, and hospitals. I have a soft spot for the elderly. In 2010, I cared for my grandmother for four years prior to her passing at age 98. I also held the hand of a friend as she passed away in hospice. That was a powerful moment for me. Those reminders serve as strong reinforcements and affirmations in my decision to pursue this specific ministry role.
God is now giving me this season for preparation and training. Even though I desperately want to put my knowledge into practice right away, I feel like in John 7:6 when Jesus said, “My time has not yet come.” I have to remain humble and trust that He will send me out when it is time. God sent Moses out in the wilderness for 40 years in preparation for delivering Israel out of Egypt. That’s a good reminder.
God Leads Me
There are no coincidences in life. Our Heavenly Father is an amazing architect. My turnaround was COMPLETELY engineered by Him. He also led me to CLI while researching which training avenue would best suit my needs. I’m very excited to begin my Chaplain ministry training and ordination pilgrimage here so that I can eventually pay it forward. I want to spread The Good News.
I’m truly blessed to have this opportunity to pursue my studies with and among you all. Make no mistake, there’s an absolute divine purpose why we are all here at CLI and our respective callings are a testament to that. I am mindful in every situation moving forward in what Jeremiah said about making decisions from our heart (Jeremiah 17:9) and what Solomon said about our trust in The Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6). In closing, heartfelt blessings to all of you on your respective journeys. May God bless us all as we stand firm in our faith.
Steps to Sign Up At Christian Leaders Institute
Step 1 – Register for a free study account that automatically enrolls you in the Christian Leaders Getting Started Course Part 1 &2.
After you register, you will automatically be enrolled in the “getting started” course. You will locate the course at your “home” button when you are logged in. Scroll down to find the Christian Leaders Getting Started Course Part 1 &2 Link. Click the link and open the course.
Step 2 – Complete Part 1 of this course, and then you are allowed to enroll in mini-courses or regular courses.
The Christian Leaders Getting Started Class Part 1 shows you how to enroll in courses and mini-courses. Part 2 of the course connects your calling into ministry with programs offered through Christian Leaders Institute. Part 2 will offer some ministry training and introduce you to the other programs offered through Christian Leaders Institute.
Learn more about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost college degree? Check out the Christian Leaders College.
